Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
After years of alarming reports of doctors collapsing at their posts, suffering burnout, and even losing their lives from gruelling shifts that stretched beyond 72 hours, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has finally drawn a hard line in the sand. The association announced on Sunday, August 16, 2026, a sweeping new work-hour regulation for healthcare personnel, establishing a maximum 48-hour work week and a firm 24-hour limit for continuous duty. The decision, described by the association as a "recommended work-hour regulation," marks a significant victory in the long-standing battle against the culture of overwork that has plagued Nigeria's health sector for decades.
According to a statement signed by NARD's Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, the new guidelines are the culmination of extensive deliberations by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare's Ministerial Committee on Work Hour Regulation and Casualisation of Doctors. The committee's work was informed by a nationwide assessment involving 6,350 healthcare personnel across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones. The findings were stark: excessive working hours, burnout, fatigue, and inadequate rest among healthcare workers were at crisis levels, posing not only a threat to the well-being of doctors but also a significant risk to patient safety.
Under the new framework, healthcare personnel will work a maximum of 48 hours per week, including weekends. The guidelines further stipulate a maximum eight-hour day shift and a six-hour afternoon shift, with shifts exceeding 12 hours permitted only in genuine emergencies. Crucially, the association has banned continuous call duties beyond 24 hours, ensuring that no doctor is forced to remain on duty for the 48 to 72-hour stretches that have become all too common. To enforce this, the guidelines mandate at least 12 hours of rest between regular shifts and a mandatory 24-hour post-call rest period following weekday, Saturday, Sunday, and public holiday calls. Additionally, healthcare personnel are entitled to a minimum one-hour break after six hours of continuous work, including during shifts and call duties.
"The assessment revealed the urgent need to address excessive working hours, burnout, fatigue and inadequate rest among healthcare workers, as well as the potential risks to patient safety," NARD stated in the announcement. The association stressed that any authorised hours beyond the 48-hour limit must be documented and adequately compensated above the normal hourly rate or balanced through structured time off. NARD also recommended protected time for healthcare personnel to undertake research and professional development, subject to approval by relevant health research and ethics committees.
The new regulations have been forwarded to all Medical Directors and Chief Medical Directors of health institutions for implementation. NARD has urged hospital managements and heads of departments to take steps to ensure compliance and has encouraged its members to document cases of non-compliance and report them through their centre leadership. The association, however, noted that the recommended limits would not prevent exceptional arrangements in genuine emergencies where patient safety and continuity of care required longer working hours.
The announcement is a direct response to a crisis that has seen resident doctors working an average of 106.5 hours per week, far exceeding international standards. Previous reports had documented instances of doctors collapsing on duty and even dying after being forced to remain on call for 48 to 72 hours without adequate rest. The new regulations aim to put an end to such inhumane conditions, recognising that the welfare of healthcare workers is intrinsically linked to the quality of patient care.
NARD credited Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, for supporting the work-hour policy. The association also commended its representatives who participated in the ministerial committee, including its Vice-President II, Dr Kwarshak Kevin Yakubu, and Secretary-General, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim. "NARD remains committed to protecting the dignity, welfare, rights and professional interests of every Nigerian doctor," the association said.
The move comes just days after NARD had declared an indefinite nationwide strike from August 10, 2026, over the Federal Government's failure to implement agreements and address lingering welfare concerns. While the strike was suspended following government intervention, the new work-hour regulations represent a significant step forward in addressing the root causes of the doctors' grievances. The association has also indicated that a second document addressing the "casualization and abusive locum appointments" of doctors is expected to be released soon.
For the thousands of resident doctors who have endured years of exhaustion and exploitation, the announcement is a watershed moment. For the patients who depend on their care, it is a promise of safer, more effective treatment. And for the nation's beleaguered health sector, it is a long-overdue acknowledgment that the doctors who save lives cannot continue to sacrifice their own. NARD has drawn a line in the sand; the challenge now lies in ensuring that the line is respected.
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